Oral health problems can take many forms, such as tooth decay, periodontal disease, and bad breath. Bacteria play a major role in many oral health issues. For example, tooth decay and periodontal disease are often caused by undesirable bacteria in the mouth. Bacteria also interact with proteins present in saliva to form a film (plaque) that coats the teeth. If this plaque is not removed, acids produced by the bacteria can attack the teeth resulting in tooth decay. The plaque also may attack the soft gum tissue of the mouth leading to tooth loss in adults.
Oral care agents, such as rinses and mouthwashes, serve to remove bacteria and supply breath freshening agents. However, people do not always implement effective oral care procedures when using these liquids. Thus, significant amounts of harmful bacteria may remain in the mouth, attacking the teeth and gums, even after the person has completed his/her oral care routines.
Prior attempts at oral healthcare detection systems have not met with widespread adoption and have had limited functionality. For example, test strips employing conventional approaches for diagnosing the risk of dental caries using antibodies to detect the presence of oral bacteria have not achieved commercial success or widespread adoption by the public. Moreover, systems using color as an indicator of the presence of particular bacteria or enzymes have been burdened by the need for additional processing or apparatus, e.g., a colorimeter or fluorometer, to develop the color. In addition to the inconvenience of performing multiple steps, the use of additional agents and equipment may increase risk and increases cost.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus capable of overcoming the disadvantages described herein at least to some extent.